£30 million pledged to children's charity to increase palliative care
A charity that helps terminally ill children and their families is to benefit from £30 million of Scottish Government cash.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said the Children's Hospice Association Scotland (Chas) will receive the funds over the next five years.
The money will help fund its hospices in Kinross, Perthshire, and Balloch, West Dunbartonshire, where families can benefit from short breaks as well as emergency support, end of life care and bereavement services.
Ms Robison told the SNP conference in Glasgow the funding will help children and families through the most difficult circumstances''.
She said: We're committed to ensuring that everyone who needs palliative care can get it by the end of this parliament. To help deliver this we're giving a new focus to specialist children's palliative care services.
We know caring for a child with a life-shortening condition can place extreme demands on families, and Chas are a vital part of the support mechanisms in place in Scotland.
This funding of approximately £30 million over the next five years will help support a huge number of children and families through the most difficult circumstances, ensuring they are able to spend quality time together.
Alongside the fantastic fundraising by the organisation, this investment will make a huge difference to the work Chas is able to undertake.''
Chas chairman Professor Gordon Dickson welcomed the funding as more and more babies, children and young people need our care''.
He added: The prevalence of children and young people in Scotland with life-shortening conditions has risen by 50% in the last 10 years.
We want to reach all families who need our care, and increased and sustainable statutory and voluntary funding will allow us to further our service. Today's commitment by the Scottish Government is an encouraging step towards all children in Scotland getting the palliative care they need.''